Shoe.



G. BASLER.

SHOE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 11. Hill.

1,283,456. Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

5E0 REE EASL ER GEORGE BASLER, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1918.

Application filed January 11,1917. Seria1No. 141,804.

T0 all'whom it mayconcem:

Be it known that I, GEORGE BAsLER, a

citizen of'the United States, andresident of 'VVorcester, county of Worcester, Common Wealth of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Shoes, of which the following description, in qonnection with the accompanying drawings, is a speclfication, like characters on the drawings representing like parts in each of the several views.

particularly to'house slippers beingparticularly though not exclusively designed for ladies house slippers as commonly made. of felt cloth in more or less ornamented styles and with a soft and flexible make-up throughout including the soles. As hereto fore commonly made, house slippers of this character have "had this yielding flexiblecharacteristic throughout, including the heel portion of the shoe which has thus not been of'acharacter to afford any particular heel base to the foot or to keep the slipper properly fitted on the foot of the wearer. Such slippers as heretofore made entirely without counters or any reinforcing shank pieces have also tended to become dlstorted and out of shape after a little period of use so as to portion of the shoe and afford a'reliable heel' base in use so that the shoe will'remain properly fitted on the foot and retain its shape throughout its period of'service. In accordance with my invention I provide a removable counter, preferably having fixed therewith a shank piece and a heel seat cushion, that may be easily and readily placed inthe slipper or removed therefrom at will for ventilating or other purposes, this counter and shank piece when placed in the shoe being held therein just as reliably and securely as though it were permanently fixed .as a part of the slipper. A further object is to pro vide a removable counter and shank piece of this character that may be equipped with an insoleand cushion element if desired removable with the counter for drying out and the following detaileddescription, and the distinctive features of novelty will be pointed out. in the appended'claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a lengthwise vertical section through a slipper embodying my improved features;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the removable counter, heel cushion and shank This inventlon relates to shoes and more" 3-3 of Fig. 1.

' 'The upper'10 of the slipper may be made of anysuitable material such, as felt cloth "with a sole-11 of soft flexible leather or other material secured thereto, and as shown at the heelportion-with a stitched-in intermediate portion 12 of material which may be the same as theupper, between the heel and the upper proper, to give the appearance of a heel lift and space theupper proper from the heel. 'Accordingto my invention a flap piece 13 having the general form of the sides of a counter, of soft flexible material which may be the-same as thematerial of the upper, e. 9., soft felt cloth is stitched along its upper edge as seen at 14 to extend around the'heel portion of the upper with its free edge 15 extending down adjacent the base of the heel; I provide a counter 16 of suitable material such as leatherboard or other usual or suitable relatively stiff durable material and secure to the base thereof a shank piece 17 of similar suitable reinforcing material such as leatherboard or fiberboard or leather and secure the counter 16 and the shank piece 17 together and to a heel pad cushion 18 by any suitable means such as rivets,

stitching, or adhesive, this heel pad being made of suitable material such as soft-wool felt or the like. I may also add to the assembled unit thus provided an insole memher 19 secured thereto by stitching 19 or otherwise, which may be equipped with a pad 20 of soft wool or the like. The sole 11 is preferably shaped so as to provide a small break or shoulder 21 on the inside of the sole at a point adapted to permit the front 22 of the heel cushion pad 18 to fit thereagainst as the counter and heel pad are sllpped into place, thus better insuring the accurate and ready seating of the same. In use the lower edge 15 of the flexible flap 13 is lifted up and the assembled unit consisting of the counter 16, shank piece 17, and. heel pad 18 along with the insole 19 are slipped. into the, shoe,

, moval of the same when'desired for drying out or ventilating the counter and insole or for other purposes when desired. It is to be noted that the described construction while not lessening the flexibility of the slipper in the portions thereof where flexibility is desired, at the same time provides an adequate arch support and is adapted to fit flat with the foot, whereas previous types of flexible slippers lacking such counter and shank piece have tended to rock or work sidewise on the'foot. Since the counter and shank piece are thus readily removable, and even when removed the additional flap 13 makes an extra support for the heel portion of the upper, it will be understood that the slipper may when desired be worn without the counter and shank pieoe'unit described. I desire the present embodiment particularly as to the materials mentioned, and as to details of construction to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than] to the foregoing .description to indicate thescope of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: Y

1. A shoe, comprising an upper and an outer sole secured thereto, and a counter removably fitted therein, the heel portion of said upper equipped with means for holding said counter removably in place consisting in a flexible flap piece of the same general form as the sides of the counter and secured to the upper along substantially the entire extent of its top and front edges but with its bottom edge 1e t the same for insertion of the counter.

outer sole secured thereto, and a counter having a shank piece secured thereto removably fitted therein, the heel portion of said upper equipped with means for holding free to 'permlt lifting up of" p m-it insertion an 2. A shoe, comprising an upper and an" upof the same for insertion of the counter.

A- shoe, comprising anvupper and an outer sole secured thereto, and an assembled unit consistingin a counter, a shank piece, anda cushion pad secured together and removably fitted therein, the heel portion of said upper equipped with means for holding saidcounter and unit removably in place.

4, 'A shoe, comprising an upper, a flexible sole secured thereto, and a counter removably fitted therein, the heelportion of said. upper having a flap secured along substantially its entire top and side edges to an upper portion ofthe upper, and-having its I lower edge free, to permit turning up for inserting the counter,'said flap being in 'po' sition 'to hold removably sald counter in place in the heel portion ofthe shoe.

, 5. A shoe, comprising an upper, a relatively flexible sole secured thereto, and an assembled unit consisting in a counter, a

shank piece, and an insole secured to 'ther to be fitted into the shoe, the heel portion of said upper having a flap secured thereto along substantially its entire to and side edges and extending down within said counter to hold the same and said unit-securely in place with a capability of easy manual removal.

6. A' shoe, comprising an upper with an outer sole secured thereto, and an assembled unit consisting in a counter, a heel pad and a shank iece secured together and removably equipped with a flap of the same general you-u as the sides of the counter and s'e-' cured to the upper along its upper edge whereby saidfla may be turned .up to orremoval of said assem led unit. s In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification,-

said counter removabl in lace, consisting G OR E BASLER.

, fittedt erein, the heel portion of said upper 

